Pavel Korin: Everlasting Russia

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the creative works of the renowned Russian and Soviet artist Pavel Dmitrievich Korin. The author of the article aims to show that the central concept of the artist — his “Farewell to Rus” — never saw the light of day, but still culturally endured, defining our metaphysical coordinates in post‑revolutionary Russia. Korin’s works focused on timeless meanings, the very soul of the people, rather than on localized historical episodes or related heroes. At his extreme, Korin was oriented towards the “everlasting Russia” — those fundamental foundations of our consciousness that remain unaffected by the vicissitudes of history. Drawing parallels between the ideological and aesthetic similarities between Mikhail Nesterov’s “The Soul of the People” and Pavel Korin’s “Farewell to Rus”, the author conducts their detailed analytical comparison. The author concludes that unlike Nesterov, Korin painted the tragic moment of losing the essence in its totality. In the author’s opinion, the comprehensive symbolism is equally characteristic of Korin’s well‑known triptychs and mosaic panels adorning the Moscow subway stations. By analyzing specific images, the author demonstrates how Korin, through painterly means, expressed the philosophy of victory.